Sagrada Famlia

Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Famlia

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313 votes Links - sagradafamilia.org Hotels in Barcelona Looking for a hotel near Sagrada Famlia?Compare hotels and locate them on a map.Start booking here The Sagrada Famlia, Antoni Gaud's unfinished masterpiece, is one of Barcelona's most popular tourist attractions. Construction on this church will continue for at least another decade, but it has already become Barcelona's most important landmark.

A New Church
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Sagrada Famlia

The idea for the construction of a new church was launched by a devout organisation whose goal was to bring an end to the de-christianisation of the Barcelonese, which had started with the industrialization and increasing wealth of the city. The organisation purchased a plot of land in the new Eixample district in 1877. The architect Francisco de Paula del Villar designed a neo-Gothic church and led the construction which started in 1882.

Antoni Gaud's Design

One year later, the modernist architect Antoni Gaud took over as lead architect at the age of 31. From that moment on, Gaud devoted most of his life to the construction of the church. Instead of sticking to the original plans, Gaud changed the design drastically. The neo-Gothic style made way for Gaud's trademark modernist style, which was based on forms found in nature. When he died in 1926 only
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one faade (the Nativity Faade), one tower, the apse and the crypt were finished. Because Gaud was constantly improvising and changing the design while construction was going on, he left few designs and models. And most of these were destroyed in 1936 during the Civil War.

18 Towers
Still, architects now have a clear idea of what Gaud had in mind. The last version of his design called for a church 95m/312ft long and 60m/197ft wide. The church will be able to accommodate some 13 000 people. When finished, the Sagrada Famlia will have a total of 18 towers.

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Detail of the Nativity Faade Four towers on each of the three faades represent the twelve apostles. The towers reach a height of 90 to 120m (394ft). Another four towers represent the four evangelists. They will surround the largest, 170m/558ft tall tower, dedicated to Jesus Christ. The last tower, dedicated to Virgin Mary, will be built over the apse.

Construction
After Gaud's death in 1926 construction slowed dramatically due to a lack of funds and the outbreak of the Civil War. Construction pace started to pick up again in the mid 1950s and now two faades and eight towers have been completed. The main nave was roofed in 2000. At that time construction was expected to last for another hundred years, but modern technology has enabled architects to speed up construction so that the Sagrada Famlia is now slated for completion before 2030.
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Passion Faade

Faades
The first faade, facing east, is known as the Nativity Faade. It was finished by Gaud himself and is ornamented in a Baroque fashion with motifs of animals and plants. Opposite the Nativity Faade is the Passion Faade. Construction started in 1954, but only in 1987 sculptures depicting the crucified Jesus Christ were added. As soon as they were installed, the abstract figures caused a storm of criticism, as the style was very different from Gaud's.

The third and main faade is the Glory Faade. Construction of this faade - the most monumental of the three - started in 2002 and is still ongoing. This faade, on the south side of the church, will picture life and death.

Visiting Sagrada Famlia

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Interior Even though the Sagrada Famlia is far from finished, the remarkable church is well worth a visit. You can visit the crypt were Gaud is buried as well as the transept and central nave with its giant, tree-like pillars and spectacular vaulting. A museum narrates the history of the church and tells the story of its great architect. You can also visit the towers. An elevator and a long walk will lead you to the top of a tower from where you have a magnificent view over Barcelona. The climb is not recommended for those with fear of heights or for people with claustrophobia!
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